


Your Friend's a Jerk

by empresskylo



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2019-02-08
Packaged: 2019-09-30 04:09:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17216738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/empresskylo/pseuds/empresskylo
Summary: Modern Day College (AU): You find yourself making friend’s with Steve Rogers and soon befriend his group of friends. They all take a liking to you except for Bucky, and you have no idea why.





	1. Chapter 1

You shifted your book bag on your shoulder and turned down the hall. You approached room 314 as you dodged students walking in the opposite direction. You walked into the room, the door being held open by a door stopper, and made your way to the left side of desks.

You collapsed into your usual seat next to one of your friends, Steve. You and him had met in this class and ended up getting along quite well. You would often text about the homework and that soon shifted to you guys just texting each other when getting board and seeing what the other one was doing. Steve tended to stay up late and couldn’t sleep similar to you. Every once in a while, Steve would shoot you a ‘you still up?’ text and you both would meet up and get some late night pizza. Steve was a wonderful friend and you were truly grateful to have been stuck in World Government with him, no matter how tedious the class was.

You glanced over at your overly fit friend who gave you a smile. His notebook was already out and he had his pen in his hand, which he wagged around as he spoke to you, “Overslept again?” He laughed.

You pushed back your messy hair that you had no time to style, “How could you tell?” You teased. He smiled as you dug through your bag and yanked out a very disorganized notebook. Only moments later your Professor walked in and greeted the class. He sat at his desk and shuffled through his things, getting ready for the lecture.

“Hey, you should come with me to a party this weekend.” Steve mumbled at you.

You pulled out your pencil case and cocked an eye, “Party?”

“Yeah. I’m going with a few friends, it will be fun!” He tried to convince you. Even though you’ve been friends with Steve for a few months now, you’ve only ever hung out one-on-one. You had never actually met his friends and that made you a bit nervous. You didn’t find yourself very charming or good at meeting new people so you were surprised when someone as attractive and fun as Steve befriended you.

“I don’t know, parties aren’t really my scene.” You twisted a strand of hair in your hand as you spoke.

Steve pushed his hair back and rolled his eyes at you, “Yes, I know that.” You stuck your tongue out at him. “I’m serious, it will be fun and I’ll be with you the whole time,” He pouted his lips and made puppy dog eyes.

You contemplated for a moment and then rolled your eyes, “Fine!” You gave in, realizing you needed to get out more and experience college life. Right as you and Steve finished your conversation your Professor cleared his throat and began talking.

You had begged Steve to come over before the party and to meet up with his friends when he got there, rather than carpooling with them. He complied and was currently sat leaning on your bed as you held up outfits.

“Y/N, they all look nice!”

You threw the dress you were holding down and went back to your dresser to find something else. “Steve, I’ve never been to a party before and I’m not trying to look bland. I want to actually have fun and feel confident! And you just nodding at every outfit I’ve held up isn’t helping!”

Steve huffed and pushed himself off the bed. He wasn’t actually agitated with you, he just wished you had more confidence in yourself. “Fine!” He said as he pushed you aside. He pulled out a dark shirt from your pile of unsuccessful looks and handed it to you. “This top with-“ he paused, bending over and picking up a pair of skintight black skinny jeans on the floor in front of your bed, “With these pants, and-“ He shuffled over to your closet. You watched him intently as he pulled out a pair of black heels with studs long the back, “These shoes!” He exclaimed handing them to you.

You smiled taking them from him, “You don’t think this outfit is a bit… much?” You asked, a bit unsure.

“It’s definitely a bit intimidating, but in a good way.” He smiled at you.

You shook your head and walked to your bathroom putting the outfit on.

When you walked out, your hair styled and makeup finished, Steve was busy rummaging through your records.

“Ehem,” You said trying to gain his attention. He turned to you and his eyes almost fell out of his head.

“Holy hell, Y/N!”

“What? It’s too much, isn’t it?!” You said a bit nervous.

“No- you look- amazing!” He got up and came over to you, grabbing your arm. “I’ve got a hot best friend!” He joked as he guided you out the door.

When you had arrived at the house the party was at you could feel the beat to the music outside. You watched as Steve made his way up the drive way, his body framed nicely in a tight, long-sleeved shirt, rolled up to the elbow. He had a dark pair of jeans on and his hair was pushed back like usual.

You followed behind him as he enter the house, the music now echoing through your body. Steve laughed as drunken college kids called out for him as he entered. He was more popular than you thought. You timidly followed behind, almost trying to turn invisible. Steve made his way into what seemed to be the living room and was attacked by a group of his friends.

He said something to them you couldn’t hear and they all laughed.

“And who’s this?” A husky man in a muscle tee asked.

“This is, Y/N, she’s my friend from gov.” Steve said introducing you. You weakly smiled but the dirty blonde boy pulled you in for a hug.

Steve laughed, “This is Clint, he’s a bit overly friendly.”

You laughed too, feeling welcomed.

As Clint pulled away found yourself facing more unfamiliar faces. Steve took it upon himself to introduce you everyone.

“This is Nat, Sam, Wanda, Pietro, and-“ He paused, looking around, “Bucky should be here somewhere,” he mumbled.

You waved at the friendly faces in front of you, blown away at how attractive all Steve’s friends were. Nat locked arms with you, “Want a drink?” She asked.

You smiled, “Uh, sure!” She nodded and made her way through the bodies of people and turned up moments later with a beer in her hand. She gave it to you and took a sip of her own.

You stood there, chatting away with Steve’s friends. You were overly happy that they had included you in the conversation, laughing earnestly when you made a joke.

“Damn, you’re hilarious, Y/N” Clint said, grabbing onto Sam’s shoulder.

“I think you’re just wasted,” You giggled.

“You might be right,” Clint slurred.

“Okay, okay. Let’s sit you down,” Sam said, directing Clint to the couch. Wanda and Pietro had decided to go off and dance with other friends of theirs so that left just you, Nat, and Steve.

Steve pointed across the dance floor and you and Nat both looked, “That’s Bucky!” He told you. He pointed to a man in all black who stood laughing with some blonde girl at the other side of the room, a drink in his free hand. He made eye contact with Steve and waved.

“I’ll have to introduce you guys later,” He said while waving back to his friend.

Your eyes widened a bit as Bucky’s eyes shifted to you, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion, probably wondering who the hell the hell you were. You couldn’t help but blush as you looked back towards Steve and Nat.

“Should we dance?” Nat asked, directing this question to both you and Steve.

“Oh- no, I don’t dance!” You exclaimed.

Steve and Nat looked at each other then smiled.

“What?” You asked, not liking their mischievious glances.

They both grabbed your hand and pulled you out into the mob of people. They let go as they began dancing and singing to the music. You couldn’t help but laugh out hysterically, giving in and dancing along with your friends.

You noticed Bucky again over Steve’s shoulder and were surprised to find him already looking at you. You made eye contact for a moment before looking away when he refused.

“Hey, what’s your friends deal?” You shouted at Steve over the loud music.

“Who, Bucky?”

“Yeah. What kind of name is that anyways?”

“His first name is James. It’s just a nickname we gave him.” Steve said, both of you dancing to the beat.

For the rest of the night, every time you’d accidentally glance at Bucky across the room, he’d already be staring at you, his gaze making your nervous.

You and Steve eventually made your way over by him and Steve pulled his friend in for a hug. “Hey, Buck, this is Y/N.” He said, a bright smile on his face as he introduced you. You gave him a small wave.

“That’s nice.” Bucky said, looking away from you and saying something else to Steve. Bucky turned and walked away and you felt your cheeks heat up at that embarrassing interaction. 

“Ouch.” You said to Steve. 

“He’s just a bit…” He paused for a moment, “suspicious of newcomers. He doesn’t like when new people join our friend group.”

You smiled, “I am part of your friend group?” You asked timidly. 

“Hell yeah, everyone loved you!” He said, referring to his friend’s you met tonight. 

“Yeah, all except him,” You said gesturing to the dark haired boy across the room. Bucky had long brown hair and you liked how he had it slicked back into a bun. And he was bulky like his friend, Steve. You assumed they must work out together. You wanted to make it your goal to get Bucky to like you, or at least not be disgusted by you as he was right now. 

Steve patted you on the back, “Don’t worry, you’ll grow on him.” And as if Bucky knew you were talking about him, he looked over at you from across the room, the same menacing glace as before.


	2. Chapter 2

The next time you had Government class, you found yourself counting down the minutes until your Professor would dismiss you. Steve had invited you to hang out with Clint and Pietro after class and you found yourself excited. Steve had invited you multiple times in the past but you always refused. You hated meeting new people and always felt self conscious in groups, but ever since the night of the party, you felt like his friend’s genuinely liked you.

Class was finally over and the room erupted into muttered conversations. You watched as Steve packed his things into his backpack and flung it over his shoulder. He wore a plaid button-up today that looked a bit too tight for his larger arms. He sported a pair of black glasses to match with his nerdy look, but somehow he still managed to look incredibly fit. 

Steve walked beside you, slowing his stride to match yours as you walked out into the hall. You giggled at something Steve said when you noticed three boys hanging out by the water fountain. 

“Hey!” Steve called out to them. You suddenly felt extremely nervous. Steve had told you it was only Clint and Pietro who were going to be here today but your eyes instantly danced over Bucky’s appearance. He wore a black t-shirt paired with black skinny jeans, this dark demeanor seemed to be a pattern with him. They approached you and you suddenly felt Clint’s warm body engulf you in a hug. 

Your nerves suddenly swam away, happy to see Clint. “How’ve ya been?” He asked you as he pulled away. 

“Better now that you’re here.” You chirped. He shot you a wink and you smiled. Pietro kindly greeted you, saying a pleasant “Hello.” You smiled, Pietro was very different from Clint’s loud and confident personality. 

Bucky- well Bucky just starred you down. You swallowed the knot in your throat and took it upon yourself to greet him. 

“Hi, Bucky.” You said, your voice a bit quieter than before. 

“Hey.” He mumbled, looking over at his friend Steve who patted his shoulder. 

His greeting wasn’t super friendly but you were happy he actually acknowledged you. 

“Where are we off to, boys?” You asked as you all made your way out into the cool New York air. 

“The arcade!” Clint boasted. He was practically skipping as you all made your way down on the sidewalk. You all chatted away, apart from Bucky, who seemed annoyed you were tagging along, and you made it to the arcade in no time. 

You walked in, the dark inside a sharp contrast to the sunny day outside. You marveled at all the machines around you and saw Clint bouncing off the wall, running up to get tokens. 

“Do you guys come here a lot?” You asked Steve while the other boys followed close behind Clint. 

“Yeah. We frequently come here to hang out. Clint is a professional, he has a high score on almost every game in here.” 

You laughed, “Of course he does.” 

You spotted a Pac-Man game and decided that’s what you wanted to play. 

“I’m going to go crush Clint’s high score on Space Invaders!” Steve called out towards you as he sped past Clint who was grabbing tokens. 

“Hey! Wait up!” Clint called back to Steve, chasing after him. You made your way through the arcade and over to the Pac-Man machine alone. You looked at the screen, the high score with the initials ‘GOT’ next to it. 

“God of Thunder.” A deep voice spoke from behind you. Startled, you turned around to face a very tall and muscular man. He had a bit of scruff and golden blonde hair the was tucked behind his ears. 

“What?” You asked confused.

“G-O-T, that’s me. God of Thunder.”

You laughed, “Why God of Thunder?” You questioned, leaning your back against the game. 

“My name is Thor, after the Norse God of Thunder.” 

“Oh! Clever. Your parents must be mythology buffs.” 

He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck, “Yeah.” You smiled at him, his light blue eyes were mesmerizing. “Hey, aren’t you in my English class?” He asked.

You observed him for a moment, pondering. “Wait, yeah, I think so!” 

He beamed at you, his friendly attitude was contagious. “Thor, let’s go!” A short haired man with glasses called out to his friend. 

“I got to go. But we should hang out sometime.” He said, hoping you’d be interested. 

“Oh, uhm- yeah sure!” You agreed, not wanting to miss out on the opportunity. Hot guys like Thor didn’t typically ask you out. 

He handed you his phone and you typed your number in. His friend called out again and Thor whined at him, “God, I’m coming Bruce!” He gave you a smile and walked away. 

Your heartbeat finally calmed down and you grabbed your cheeks in your hand. “Wow.” You breathlessly let out. 

“Why were you talking to that douche?” Bucky’s voice said beside you. You turned to him and your mood sank. 

“He wasn’t a douche. He was actually very sweet.” You defended. 

“Thor? Sweet? Yeah right.” He rolled his eyes. Bucky stood slouched on the wall next to you, his hands in his pockets. 

“You know Thor?” You asked.

“Sadly.” 

You didn’t like the way he was talking about him. He was probably just jealous about how kind he was. 

“Whatever.” You said, and decided you weren’t in the mood to play Pac-Man anymore. You walked away from Bucky and went off to find the others. 

Bucky followed right behind you. “I’m just warning you, Y/N. Don’t be mad when he tries to take advantage of you.” He spat. 

You turned to look at him as you walked. “You’re just jealous.” You yelled right back at him.

“Pfft, jealous of that asshole? Unlikely.” He hissed.

You made it back to the other’s and watched them play, bickering with each other about who got to play next. The whole rest of the time, Bucky wouldn’t stop giving you death stares and you were sick of it. 

A few days later and you found yourself in Wanda and Pietro’s apartment. You sat on the couch next to Natasha while the others played a video game on the TV. 

Your phone screen lit up from a text from Thor and you smiled. 

‘Hey, was thinking I’d like to take you out on a date. What do you say?’

Your heartbeat was racing. Nat looked over at your phone and smiled from ear to ear. “No way!” She exclaimed. 

“What?” Steve asked, peering over at her. 

“Y/N, just got asked on a date!” She boasted. 

“God, Nat! Shh!” You tried to hush her and act annoyed but you couldn’t contain your smile. 

“Ooo” Clint cooed. 

“By who?” Wanda asked from across the room. Everyone was now interested in your affairs. You smiled, giddily. 

“Thor.” You tried to say calmly. 

Clint and Steve were intesnsely watching the TV screen as they played their game but they were still listening. 

“Thor? That tall buff guy in our Orgo class?” Wanda asked Clint. 

“That’s the one.” He told her. 

“Impressive,” Steve said to you. 

“You’re not seriously gonna go?” Bucky asked you from across the room.

“And why wouldn’t I?” You questioned, annoyed at his response. You knew he didn’t like Thor based off your previous discussion with Bucky, but you wish he’d just keep his thoughts to himself. 

You had already texted back an ‘I’d love to’ to Thor when he responded causing Nat to interrupt you and Bucky, “What did he say now?” She asked. 

You looked down at your phone and read his message, “He said he’ll pick me up tomorrow at seven and he plans on taking me to Coney Island!” 

“Really? Coney Island?” Bucky chimed in with his negative attitude again. 

You rolled your eyes, “Yes, I’ve never been and it might be fun.” You said turning to Nat to talk more. 

Bucky mumbled “Whatever” under his breath that no one heard and got up without saying goodbye and left.


	3. Chapter 3

You were nervous. You hadn’t been on a date in so long and you didn’t know what to expect. You frantically fixed your hair in the mirror, the clock on your shelf striking 6:55pm. You knew Thor would be here any moment and you had a serious case of the jitters.

Your phone lit up on your bed and you reached down and picked it up.

‘Here!’ Thor has texted you.

You slid your phone in your purse which you threw over your shoulder and looked at yourself in the mirror one last time. You did your usual makeup and pulled a chunk of hair on each side of your face back and clipped it down. You wore a band tee that you had cut a V shaped neckline in and paired it with a pair of dark jeans. You slid on your favorite converse before leaving your dorm and making your way outside.

You were only Freshman and Thor was a Sophomore and lived off campus. You made your way outside and spotted him standing, leaning on the side of his red car, like in a movie.

“You look lovely, Y/N.” He told you as you approached him.

“You don’t look too bad yourself.” You said cheekily.

It was getting dark out and the city lit up around you as Thor drove the both of you to the amusement park. You both had talked the whole way about a band you discovered you both loved and were debating about the new album.

“I like it! I think it’s fresh and helping the band grow. I’m really digging the new sound.” You stated.

Thor smiled, glancing at you before he spoke, “If I wanted a new sound I would have found a different band! This album doesn’t sound anything like them!” He playful argued.

You laughed and shrugged your shoulders, “You just don’t get them the way I do I guess,” You teased.

He bursted out laughing at your comment, “I suppose you are more analytical than I am.” You blushed.

He pulled into a parking space and you could see the park from here. It was lit up beautifully and the ferries wheel was what really caught your eye.

Thor opened your side door for you and you politely thanked him. You both made your way to the park and you spotted the ocean in the distance.

“It’s beautiful out here isn’t it?” He asked as you made it to the entryway.

You nodded your head, the sound of music filling your eardrums. A cool breeze danced across your hot face. You spotted groups of friends and families enjoying their time, you felt happiness as you could hear their laughing and yelling.

You and Thor were having a pleasant evening, Thor even won you a stuffed animal at a ring toss game.

“What will you name him?” He asked you.

“I’m not sure.” You said holding the funny looking creature in your hand.

“He looks like a Greggory to me.” Thor suggested.

You giggled. “Greggory it is!”

You had wanted to go on the ferris wheel but Thor said he was scarred of heights and you felt your heart sink. You shrugged your shoulders and decided it wasn’t that big of a deal. You couldn’t help but giggle slightly, someone as masculine and tough looking as Thor was scared of heights. You blushed at the thought.

You both stood in line, waiting to go on a spinning ride when you heard the conversation of laughing boys from somewhere behind you. You didn’t pay much attention to them at first. Thor slid his phone out and began texting which you didn’t find rude. You had been talking the whole time and you understood he maybe needed to let someone know what he was doing.

You looked around you as you stood there waiting and studied the park. The rides were booming with yelling kids and the music was dancing in the air. You turned a bit more and noticed the group of boys from which the laughter was coming from earlier. You caught their eyes and noticed they were already looking at you and they erupted into giggles. You cocked an eyebrow, confused. You turned to look at Thor who was mouthing something to the boys and immediately stopped when you looked at him.

“Wait… do you know them?” You asked Thor.

He rubbed the back of his neck, “No- I was just,” And the laughter from the group filled your ears once again and you saw Thor look at them and tell them to cut it out.

“You do know them?” You said, confused. Your heartbeat began to pick up, “What’s going on?” You asked.

“Nothing Y/N, I swear!” He said.

You heard one of the boys mutter our, “I can’t believe he made it this far!”

“Not far enough! He didn’t even kiss her! I definitely win!”

You felt your heart sink and Thor looked at you with pleading eyes, “Was this- is this some kind of sick joke?” You asked, your voice shakey, realizing Thor must have made bets with his friends on how far he could get with you tonight.

“Y/N, it’s not what it looks like!” He cried, grabbing your hands.

“Let go, Thor!” You yelled.

“Y/N, just let me explain,” He said in frustration.

“She said let her go!” A deep voice said from behind you.

You were startled to connect the voice to Bucky who was now standing right beside you and Thor let go of your hands.

Bucky looked at you and grabbed your shoulder, “Let’s go,” He mumbled to you.

“Hey, she’s with me!” Thor called out, “She doesn’t want to go with you!” He said as he reached out and grabbed the back of you.

Bucky immediately turned and connected his fist with Thor’s face sending him stumbling backwards. Thor had his face clutched in his hand as Bucky’s arm wrapped around you, urging you with him as quick as possible. Bucky wasn’t sure he could take Thor on so he tried to get you to follow him as quick as possible. You stumbled as you walked with him, hearing Thor yelling something in the distance at the both of you.

You exited the park, now holding Bucky’s hand as he dragged you along.

“Where are you taking me?” You asked out of breath.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: mention of drugs

You trailed behind Bucky, his hand still holding onto yours, pulling you along. You turned around, the wind blowing through your hair, the cold air turning your nose pink, and you looked at the park behind you. You had never felt so humiliated. And for someone like Bucky, a person who despises you, to have witnessed it all? You were glad he rescued you because you weren’t sure what you would have done if he didn’t show up, but now you were certain everyone would find out because Bucky would be sure to spread this information around.

You held back tears. You felt dirty, like you wanted nothing more than to soak your body in piercing hot water and never think about this day again.

You turned back towards Bucky and he shoved his free hand into his pocket and pulled out a pair of keys. The parking lot was quiet, a few street lamps lighting it up. He let go of your hand as you both approached his black car and you felt yourself slightly pout. 

“This is me,” He said rather awkwardly as he fiddled with his keys to unlock the door. You studied him for a moment, his hair pulled messily into a bun, his leather jacket hung loosely around his shoulders, layered over a hoodie. He looked like a mess. His cheeks were bright pick from the cold, bags had formed under his eyes, and you could see red marks on his knuckles from where his fist collided with Thor’s jaw.

You walked around to the passenger side of the car and opened it up. The moment you did you could smell the booze and weed. “Bucky…” you mumbled as you bent down to look at him through the car, already sitting in his seat.

He looked over at you puzzled, “What? Get in already.”

You shook your head, “What? Do you think I’m dumb?” You paused, “Actually, don’t answer that.” He cocked an eyebrow at you. “Oh my god, get out. I’m driving.”

“No way!” He protested.

“I can smell the alcohol and weed. I’m not letting you drive.”

He gripped his hands on the steering wheel and looked out into the parking lot. You couldn’t see his face very well but you could tell he was frustrated. “Fine, whatever.” He mumbled, pushing his way back out of the car.

You walked around the front and slipped into the driver's seat, pulling your seat belt on. Bucky, a little less elegantly, plopped down to where you should be sitting and grumbled to himself. The car was already started and you turned the cars lights on and pulled out of the parking spot and headed to your dorms.

You drove for a few minutes before either of you spoke. You came to a red light and you could feel Bucky’s eyes burning a hole in the side of you, “What?” You asked glancing at him.

“Did you want to talk about it?” There was something different in his tone. He seemed… genuine. 

“It almost sound’s like you care.” You said, sarcasm dripping over every word.

Your hands tightened on the wheel, the last thirty minutes playing back in your mind. You looked over at him and made eye contact. The light flickered green and you focused back on the road, still feeling his eyes on you. He didn’t say anything to refute your remark. He didn’t want to upset you any further and was okay with you taking your anger out on him.

You sighed deeply and your tone shifted as you spoke, “I’m just so-“ You almost couldn’t finish your sentence. You took a breath before continuing, “So fucking embarrassed.” You were angry, confused, but most importantly, you were hurt. You shook your head, “I’m so fucking stupid!”

“Don’t say that,” Bucky immediately corrected.

“Well it’s true. I should have listened to you.” Your voice was timid and quiet.

Bucky mumbled, “Yeah,” You shot daggers at him before focusing back on the road, “but that’s not the point. He’s a douche and shouldn’t have treated you like such shit.”

You sighed. A few moments passed before you spoke, “Thanks for saving me. If you didn’t show up I probably would have just humiliated myself even more by crying in front of him,” You tried to laugh but it came out forced.

Bucky was gazing out the window, “Don’t mention it.”

You parked on the side of the road, now in front of your dorm building. You got out and took the keys with you before saying to Bucky, “Comon’, there’s no way you’re driving home. You can crash in my dorm. My roommate is never there.”

He tried to protest but you won. He mumbled in defeat to himself as he followed you. It was dark out and you could hear various parties going on in the buildings around you.

“This is me,” You said when you approached your dorm building, mimicking what Bucky had said earlier. 

You walked up to use your ID card to scan your way in the side door when you hesitated to ask a question, “Hey… why were you at the park today anyway?” You flashed your card and the door beeped open. You turned to look at him and he had gone bright red. His reaction triggered you to do the same. Bucky was excruciating close to you and you fumbled with your words, “Were you there because of me? To make sure Thor didn’t try anything?”

He rubbed the back of his head. “I mean…” he trailed off. He looked back up at you and your voice caught in your throat. You could almost feel the warmth of his breath by how close he was standing. You snapped yourself out of the moment and turned around pushing the door open.

You both walked silently up to your room. When you unlocked your door, it was dark. No sign of your roommate as usual. You flicked on the lights and threw your bag on your bed. Bucky stumbled, his mind still fuzzy from the alcohol.

You smiled at him politely and turned to your closet. You pulled down some blankets and an extra pillow, tossing it to him. “You can sleep on my roommates bed, but if that weirds you out you can sleep on the floor.” Bucky nodded and threw his pillow on the far side of the room. You took off your jacket and turned around, catching looks with Bucky.

He cleared his throat awkwardly, “Bathroom?”

“Down the hall and to the right.” He nodded and quickly left your room.

He let out a huge breath as he entered the hall, his hand coming up and pushing a strand of hair behind his ear.

“What the fuck is wrong with you, dude?!” He grunted to himself. He decided to blame it on his intoxication.

He made it to the bathroom where he cleaned himself up and splashed cold water on his face. He stared at himself in the mirror and groaned. He was a wreck. His eyes were heavy and red, his breath reeked of whiskey, and his outfit looked sloppy. He rolled his eyes and headed back to your room, having to grip the wall at one point in order to not fall over.

He didn’t even think about knocking when he pushed your door open and spotted you. You were finishing putting your pajamas on, pulling on a comfy t-shirt. Bucky got a clear view of your exposed back and his cheeks got hot.

“Oh, sorry.” He apologized.

You jumped slightly and turned around fully dressed, “Ah- It’s fine.”

You pulled yourself into bed and clicked your lamp off. The lights from outside shone in through your window enough for you both to still see. Bucky got comfortable on the floor and watched as you rolled over and put headphones in. He smiled before closing his eyes to fall asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: swearing, alcohol consumption

When you woke up the next morning, Bucky’s spot on the floor was empty, his blankets and pillow folded and resting on your roommates bed. You felt yourself sigh, not sure if you were sad or relieved that he had already left. For one, it’s way less awkward this way, but also you wouldn’t have minded seeing him peacefully sleeping and waking up to greet him.

You shook those thoughts from your mind. Bucky might have helped you last night, but you were also aware he was under the influence of various things. He wasn’t just going to wake up and jump around and be best friends with you now. You needed to stop being so naive. However, you were hoping that he was over his phase of despising you.

Later that day you got a text from Steve asking you to come over and study with him and a few of the others. You happily agreed and made your way over to Wanda and Pietro’s apartment.

“Hey!” Steve greeted you when you walked in the door. He was dressed in a plain long sleeve t-shirt that hugged his chest nicely and a pair of plain jeans. You weren’t sure how Steve made such boring outfits look so nice.

“Hey, Y/N! Want anything to drink?” Wanda greeted you as you made your way to the living room where everyone else was seated.

“No, I’m good, thanks.” You smiled sweetly at her.

You caught yourself looking around for a specific someone and you were relieved when you realized Bucky wasn’t there, not wanting to be faced with the confrontation of last night.

You took a seat next to Nat and shuffled through your notebook. Pietro and Wanda were arguing about how to solve a math problem, Sam and Clint were only half studying, not really paying much attention to the others. Steve took his seat next to Sam and tried to get him and Clint to focus, you assumed they were all in the same class together.

“What are you working on?” You asked Natasha. You had grown rather close to her, always hanging out together and sticking by one another when you hung out in groups.

“Political Science stuff.”

“Oh, I have some English stuff to-“

Nat cut you off and in a rather hushed tone said, “How’d your date last night go? You never texted me back?”

Nat had insisted you texted her to let her know you made it home alive after your date, which you were thankful for, and after you did that she asked for details but you didn’t respond. What could you have possibly told her?

“Uh- so no one said anything?” You asked her suspiciously.

“What? No. Who would have said anything?”

“Oh, I don’t know…” You felt your cheeks heat up. You were certain Bucky would have already blabbered to everyone about what happened, surely wanting to embarrass you and prove he was right. “Uh, the date was… It was okay. I don’t think I’ll see him again though.”

“Aw, that’s a bummer. Maybe give it another try. First dates can always be weird.”

“No… I really don’t think it would work out.” You cleared your throat, “Want to help me write this paper?” You asked trying to change the subject. You felt yourself internally grin, thankful Bucky wasn’t going to spread your private information around like a wildfire.

“Okay, sure! Let me see what you wrote so far.” She said taking the laptop from you.

The next two weeks had gone by painfully slow. Bucky was careful not to hangout with Steve when you were around so you barely saw him. Sometimes you’d see him after class waiting for Steve but he’d completely ignore you. You were thankful he didn’t tell anyone about Thor but you couldn’t help but feel like Bucky hated you even more now.

You were very surprised when Thor stopped you one evening on your way out of the dinning hall.

“Hey, Y/N! Wait up!” He called.

When you realized it was him your heart had sunk. Thor hadn’t kept any contact with you since the ‘date’ and you were thankful. Nonetheless, you couldn’t help but stop when he called out to you.

He caught his breath when he caught up to where you were standing and rubbed the back of his neck. “Listen, I just wanted to say I’m really sorry, like really, really sorry for the other night.”

“Don’t worry about it,” you said dully.

“Y/N… I’m not trying to make excuses. I just want you to know it’s not you. It wasn’t anything to do with you personally. My friends are jerks and sometimes I go along with it,” he laughed awkwardly but you didn’t, “They heard about the date and made a big deal about it and wanted to make bets with how… uh- far I could get. And then they even followed us. I swear I never meant for it to get that bad.” He sounded genuine but you still weren’t sure if you wanted to accept his apology. You stood there awkwardly listening to him, “I cut them off. All those guys; they’re not longer my friends. And I know I can never take back what I did, but I just want you to know I feel like shit about what happened and I know you probably feel worse, but, well, I’m sorry.” He smiled shyly and took a moment, “Okay, that’s all I wanted to say. See you around.”

Thor turned to walk away after politely smiling. You stood there stunned. He seemed very honestly and sincere, although you weren’t sure you could tell when people were being genuine anymore. But you still felt compelled to do something and before you could stop yourself you called Thor’s name making him turn around. You jogged up to him, “Uh, want to come to my friend’s Halloween party tomorrow? Not as a date but as… friends?”

He smiled brightly, “Yeah! I’d love to!” He beamed, “I swear I’m going to make this all up to you!”

You felt yourself smiled back, “Okay, I’ll text you then.”

The next day you found yourself and Nat sitting on your bed getting ready to leave for the party.

“You sure you’re okay with Thor going?” She asked as she fixed her hair in your mirror.

You moved to your closet to dig out the shoes you were going to wear. “Yeah, I mean, I’m the one who invited him.” You lied. You were nervous as hell.

“I know that,” Nat rolled her eyes, “But I don’t want you to think you made a mistake and now your night will be ruined.”

It might be, you thought. “I’m fine! I swear! It might be a bit awkward but I’m sure we’ll find something to talk about.” You weren’t sure if you were explaining this more to her or yourself.

You stood back and looked at yourself in the mirror, Nat came up to stand beside you. You wanted to be something scary so you went for a typical vampire with fake blood all over your clothes and a washed out face with sunken in eyes. Nat was dressed as a spy, a tight body suit clung to her curves, covering her completely yet still making her look absolutely stunning.

“Don’t we look good,” She purred. You giggled and agreed. “Let’s go, we don’t want to be too late.” She grabbed her keys and you hit the lights.

When you pulled into Sam’s apartment you took a moment to double check with Natasha that she pulled into the right place. “Yes, trust me, this is where he lives.” You didn’t have time to read into what she said, you were too busy being blow away. It was a really nice apartment building. You were used to Wanda and Pietro’s apartment— which wasn’t in any way bad, it's just Sam’s was so… nice. Wanda and Pietro had no family so you weren’t surprised when they didn’t have the most luxurious place.

“What does Sam do again?” You asked Nat as she parked.

You both got out and walked into the brisk Halloween air. “He joined the army after high school and got injured on the field. He gets some sort of paid leave every month for compensation. He decided to use that money to go back to school but has enough to also get himself a decent apartment.”

You nodded, you had no idea Sam was hurt during his service and you no longer wanted to talk about how fancy his apartment was. When you got inside you realized it wasn’t as luxurious as it looked from the outside. It was still really nice but you could tell Sam wasn’t the best at decorating so his apartment still had that single-guy-going-to-college feel.

The music blasted into your ears the second you and Nat entered. You immediately looked around for Thor but didn’t spot him. Something you hadn’t even thought about stung in your heart... What if he didn’t show?

Steve came over and greeted you both looking you up and down, “Hey, hey, you guys look f-fantastic!”

“Steve! Are you already drunk?” You giggled.

“Maybe,” He said like a child keeping a secret.

You playfully rolled you eyes. Steve had on a ripped shirt and a bit of fake blood scattered on it. “What are you?” You asked, genuinely concerned.

“A zombie!” He groaned and held his hands out walking towards you. He grabbed your shoulders and pretended to try to bite you.

“An amazing costume! Must have taken you forever to make!” You said sarcastically. Steve just blew you off, waving his hand at you.

Steve strode off to talk to other people who just arrived and you realized Nat was no longer at your side. You took a moment to look around the room, you recognized a lot of people, like Clint dressed in a sexy devil outfit chugging beers and Wanda in a princess dress eating some cookies and laughing. But there was also a lot of people you didn’t recognize. 

You were pulled out of your thought when someone grabbed you shoulders and spooked you. You turned around and was faced with a very tall man with golden hair. “Thor,” You smiled. 

“You look lovely, Y/N, or should I say, deadly.” 

“Yes, I prefer deadly.” You looked him up and down, “And you look rather sophisticated this evening,” Referring to the black suit he was in. 

“Ah, I’m an agent from Men in Black!” He boasted, clearly happy with the way his outfit came out. 

“I’m surprised you didn’t dress up as your Norse God counterpart,” You joked. 

He smiled, “It’s kind of a worn out costume, I dressed as him every year as a child.”

You and Thor spend a while longer just talking. You found yourself dying of laughter and the two of you made your way over to where Nat, Sam, and Steve were. You were nervous at first to introduce them to Thor, but once you had you were ecstatic with how well they all got along. 

“I’m going to go grab a drink, anyone want anything?” You asked the group.

“I’ll take whatever you’re having,” Nat had responded. 

You nodded and made your way to the kitchen where various punches were layed out. It was much quieter in here, the loud music seemed more muffled. You were busy deciding which drink to get for you and Nat when a voice made you almost fall backwards in shock. 

“So, you really brought him, huh?” The voice was cynical and dark.

You looked up to meet Bucky’s gaze from the archway and held your hand over your heart. “You nearly gave me a heart attack.”

Bucky ignored your comment, “Still don’t get why you thought it was a good idea to invite that douche? Do you not remember what he did?” he spat.

You started to get angry, “Because he-”

Bucky cut you off, “And to think you weren’t like every other dumb college girl who forgave every guy who hurt them just because he’s got a nice body. It’s actually quite pathetic how-”

Now it was your turn to cut him off, “Shut the fuck up!” You shouted. Bucky’s eyes widened momentarily then narrowed again. You were angry; Bucky had been ignoring you extra recently and he thinks he can just talk like that out of no where? “It’s really none of your fucking concern who I choose to hang around with. You’ve been ignoring me for weeks so why on earth would I sit here and actually care what you have to say?” You felt your hands gripping the counter in front of you, “I’m perfectly capable of making my own decisions. I chose to listen to what Thor had to say, and I chose to give him another chance. I don’t see why you would even care what I do!? You really are a narcissistic piece of shit, Bucky. And to think I thought you weren’t like every other douche-y college boy.” You grabbed the two drinks on the counter and stormed out of the kitchen. 

You made your way back to your friends and you could feel Bucky staring at you from the kitchen. You knew this anger at him was more than just from recent events. It had been building up ever since you met him. You turned to look at him and his eyes stayed locked on you, the same menacing glare he always had. 

You rolled your eyes and just to spite him, handed Nat her drink and took Thor’s hand, “Lets dance!” You said, smiling widely. 

Thor nodded and laughed as he followed you to where all the other bodies were dancing. You twirled around, moving to the beat with Thor. You turned back to look at Bucky and noticed he was gone.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is very short and I apologize for that.

You hadn’t seen Bucky for the rest of the week. After class you’d walk with Steve but Bucky was never waiting for him like he usually was. You tried to tell yourself you didn’t care, because you didn’t… right? 

That Friday you found yourself strolling down the halls to leave school for the day with Steve by your side. 

“So,” you began, “What’s Bucky been up to?” You asked, trying to sound as casual as possible. 

Steve, of course, was pretty oblivious to the situation at hand and looked down at you, “Bucky? Oh, the same as usual. He’s in one of his moods though, I haven’t seen him since the party. He’s probably at the gym.”

Steve had sounded so relaxed about the whole situation, as if this was such a common occurrence for Bucky: to leave without a word and just be by himself for a while. This wasn’t your fault, you told yourself. Bucky didn’t even like you so why on earth would he be upset by you getting all pissed at him? 

Another week passed and still no sign of Bucky, however you knew he had come out of his hole because Steve was going on with Sam about something the three of them did that weekend. You were sat in the library with them, trying to focus on your book in hand and not the conversation Steve and Sam where having. 

“Oh, hey! Nice of you to show up!” Steve cheered. You peered up from your book and your heart sank. It was Bucky. He came strolling over, his clothes all black like usual. His hair was down and messy and he tucked the front of his hair behind his ear, his eyes not looking anywhere near you. 

“Yeah, I’m really behind, so I need all the help I can get,” He laughed. He sat down next to Steve and you realized he must have texted Bucky to get him to come study with him. Does that mean Bucky was also missing his classes?

“Hey, Y/N.” He casually greeted you. 

You were caught off guard and looked up slowly from your book, “Oh- uh, hi.” 

He went back to talking with Sam and Steve and didn’t interact with you after that. 

An hour or so passed and you now had your feet extended on the armchair in front of you, your notebook by your side as you took notes while you read. You had completely been engulfed in your book, not realizing anything that was happening around you when a pair of warm hands rested on your shoulder. 

You slightly jumped and looked up to see Thor. “Hey,” He smiled sweetly. 

“Hi,” You mumbled, your mouth forming a smile you couldn’t prevent. Thor walked around the couch where you were sitting and collapsed beside you. 

Thor’s arm wrapped around you as you refocused on your book. Yes, Thor and you were now seeing each other, whatever that meant. Thor would sometimes sit with you in the library as you studied, he just enjoyed your company even though you wouldn’t talk. 

Bucky was glaring over at you when Steve snapped him out of his gaze and asked him a question. You hadn’t even bothered to notice. Another hour or so passed and you all finally decided it was time to leave the library, as it was getting dark out. Thor helped you gather up your things and put them in your bag and you felt your cheeks heat up. You couldn’t deny at how much of a gentleman he had been lately. A part of you figured it was just part of his personality, but another, more anxious side of you, thought this was him trying to win you over after what had happened. 

You pushed your thoughts in the back of your mind when Steve suggested you all head to a party at one of the frat houses. Another party? You thought. Parties were never really something you were into and you didn’t realize how many there would be in college. 

You all agreed and Steve gave Thor the address. Steve, Sam, and Bucky headed out and you and Thor took your time. 

“I’ll go bring the car around.” Thor suggested as you were still getting the books you needed to check out. 

“Okay.” You said happily. You grabbed your things and brought your books to the counter and checked them out, struggling to shove them in your bag as you made your way alone out of the library. You started down the hall towards the cafe to where Thor said he’d meet you when a familiar voice startled you. You looked up and saw Bucky. 

“So, you’re dating him now, huh?” He asked darkly. 

You gulped, the hall empty as you faced someone who absolutely despised you. “What’s your point?” You asked, trying to sound more confident. 

Bucky rolled his eyes and pushed himself off the wall. You backed up but hit the post behind you as he got real close. “I just don’t get what you see in him.” 

“You’re joking?” You laughed. Bucky’s face remained the same. “Well, for starters, he’s extremely attractive, and smart, and he treats me well!” 

Bucky chuckled and leaned down to your ear, “We all know I could treat you…” He paused, “and fuck you better.” 

Your jaw dropped and your eyes widened. Bucky backed away, his eyes heavy as he spun around and made his way out, happy with the reaction he got out of you. You stood there, utterly confused at what just happened. What is Bucky playing at? You wanted to scream, you didn’t get the game he was playing. First he hates you, then he acts sweet, then goes back to hating you but cares about who you’re dating, and now? Now he aggressively flirts with you? 

You sighed and told yourself you weren’t going to let him win whatever stupid game this was. You knew he wanted to shake you and you weren’t going to let him, so you held your bag close to you and made your way out to Thor to go to the party.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tw: swearing, aggressive behavior, mention of alcohol

You and Bucky had seemingly switched roles as you found yourself ignoring him at all costs. Bucky infuriated you, you had always known your friends to be simple and a long discussion could usually fix any problem. Bucky, however, didn’t make any sense to you. You also were frustrated at yourself as the other day when Bucky spoke to you alone in that hall, you felt your heart quicken. You tried to tell yourself it was because you were nervous but you knew what it felt like to have your heart flutter in lust. 

You wanted to rip all your hair out. Maybe you could go back to just hanging around Bucky and acting like nothing happened. 'I bet that would make him mad'. Your heart skipped a beat thinking about Bucky getting angry at you for ignoring him and his charm having no affect. You shook your head, you needed to stop thinking like this.   
*  
The semester was finally coming to an end and while you felt relieved, you knew you were struggling in your chemistry class. You had to pass, you would rather watch your parents sex tape then have to retake that class again. Okay, maybe you were exaggerating a bit but you get the point.

You set your bag down in the hall and took your coat off and tied it around your waist, you were suddenly super hot. You sighed and continued on. Your professor suggested student tutoring. It was a program your university offered where students who excelled in previous courses could help others. You had your final coming up soon and need help to study and finish labs.

You had never been to this side of campus before and found yourself getting lost. You finally turned a corner and saw the room you were looking for. Relieved and now somewhat sweaty, you made your way into the room. There were multiple tables set up with groups of students working on assignments. There were also a row of computers where some were working on online work.

You walked to the front desk and signed in.

“Ah chemistry, that class gave me a hard time too.” The girl behind the desk told you. You smiled at her and she looked down at the papers in front of her, “Uhm, let’s see…” she took a moment, flipping the sheets and tracing her finger down one, “Okay, we have someone in here helping with chemistry. He’s over at the computer module.” She chirped then went on to help the next person in the short line of students behind you.

You shifted your bag and walked across the larger room to the computers. You looked around and saw some students working on accounting and some were typing essays when you finally made it to the end corner and found a man sitting alone.

“Are you tutoring Chem?” You asked as you walked over to stand beside him. “Oh my god.” You stopped dead in your tracks when the boy looked up and you were faced with none other then Bucky Barnes.

“Oh, it’s you.” He said and rolled his eyes.

You’ve got to be kidding me, you thought. Abort mission, abort mission! 

You looked around helplessly, no one paying any attention to you, hoping to find someone else who could help you with chemistry. 

“I’m the only one here tutoring chem today, so you’re out of luck,” Bucky jeered. 

You hated that he knew what you were thinking, responding in his smug attitude like always. You let out a long and overdue sigh, a few nearby heads glancing at you, and you plopped yourself down in the chair. 

Reading you actions, Bucky muttered, “Don’t worry, I’ll keep it civil.” 

You rolled you eyes, not being in the mood today.

“So… what do you need help with?” He asked, his whole dark demeanor suddenly shifting. 

You turned to him, slightly surprised and you weren’t sure why, “Oh.” You dug through your bag and pulled out your lab from that week that was giving you trouble with the write up. He took it from you and immediately began scanning the pages. Bucky’s hair was pulled back, a loose strand that didn’t fit in the bun hung by his face. He had a bit of scruff growing in that you didn’t notice before and decided it was new. He had a plain white shirt and dark black skinny jeans on. His coat hug loosely over the back of his chair and his bag was by his feet. 

Bucky opened word on his computer and began to set the paper up. “Okay, so first off,” He began, going into detail about how to start your paper. You quickly forgot about your petty resentments with Bucky and listened closely with what he was saying. You don’t know why but you never pictured him to be good at school so this was all around an odd occurrence to absorb. 

Hours passed and Bucky helped you tremendously with your chemistry work. Most of the other students had left, a few still scattered about, and you noticed it was starting to get dark outside. 

“Any other questions?” He asked you while he came walking back over from the printer, handing you your lap write up. It was warm in your hands and you gazed up at him. You almost wanted to blush, his towering stance and kind attitude making him seem like a genuine person. 

“No, I think I’m good.” You put your stuff in your bag and stood up, putting your coat on. He smiled at you and your heart beat skipped a beat. Fuck, you cursed to yourself. 

“Where you headed?” 

“I was going to catch a bus to Thor’s.” You said as he matched your stride while you walked out of the room and down the hall.

“No. no, let me give you a ride.”

“Oh, that’s okay, I mean you already helped me enough today.”

“I insist.” He said sweetly. 

You smiled and nodded your head. You walked silently to his car. Opening the door you recognized the smell from before. It smelled like old whiskey and mint, a weird scent that was somehow comforting. You got in and rubbed your hands together, the car freezing. 

Bucky started it up and began driving down the road. 

“He lives on-” You started, trying to tell Bucky where Thor lived so he could drop you off.

“I know where he lives.” He said in an aggressive tone. 

“Oh, okay.” You mumbled. 

You started out the window for a while before speaking up again, “I didn’t expect you to know where he lives…Were you friends with him before?” You asked looking over at him.

Bucky gripped the steering wheel tighter, his eyebrows furrowing. 

“Fine, don’t talk to me.” You grunted and rolled your eyes.

Bucky huffed and pulled the car over with a sharp turn. You gripped onto the side door. “What the fuck was that about?” You asked angrily. 

“Get out.” He spat.

“What?”

“Thor’s place is right there, now get the fuck out.” He snarled. 

Your eyes widened, “You know what, fuck you.” You shouted and got out, slamming the door. You felt tears escaping your eyes and you tried to wipe them away quickly.

Bucky’s hands messily went through his hair in anger. “So fucking stupid,” He angrily growled, his hands hitting his steering wheel in frustration. He took a moment before getting out of the car and chasing after you. “Y/N, wait!” He called. 

You stopped but didn’t turn around. “I don’t know what to do anymore.” You said quietly. Bucky stopped and listened. You turned around to face him and his body filled with guilt when he saw your tear stained face. “You’re mean to me the moment we met, but then we have these sweet moments where I feel like you’re actually a nice guy who’s just difficult to understand. Then you go and act like I’m a piece of shit again who means nothing to you. It’s this back and forth battle, Bucky. And I’m sick of it. I feel sick. I feel my heart beat faster for you and all you do is toy with my emotions,” You were practically yelling, thankful the sidewalk you were standing on was empty. “I don’t know what you want from me.”

In a moment Bucky’s lips were connected to yours. You were startled and knew you should push him off but you couldn’t resist. It felt like everything around you was frozen in time and your lips melted against his. His arms snaked around your waist. Your body felt warm against his, the cold night air dancing through your hair. 

“I think I’m in love with you,” He mumbled between a kiss. You felt his hands pull you closer, the kiss deepening, when suddenly, you lacked his touch. The cold air replaced his warm body and you opened your eyes. Bucky was getting back in his car and drove away, not looking back.


End file.
